Novelty tape measure



Feb. 7, 192s.

J BUTTIGIEG NOVELTY TAPE MEASURE Flled June 6 1927 INVENTOR ATTO RN EY WITNESS:

Patented Feb. 7, i928.

muren srArss eren JOHNBUTTIGIEG, GF ELGIN, ELLINOIS.

NOVELTY TAFE MEASURE.

ri-ippumien fried June e, 1927. semi no. leases.

My present invention has reference to what I will term a novelty measuring` tape, the object being to arrange a measuring tape upon. a spring influenced drum or roller that is journaled in a hollow body or casing, to secure on the outer end of the tape in' a novel manner, a pull element that is shaped to represent an insect or other ornamental object so that the device, when not in use `will prese/nt the appearance ol a fly or like insect resting on an egg; and which, after the tape has been used tor measuring purposes and the eggshaped body is permitted to rest upon a surface and the tape is held to permit el the samevbeing slowly Wound around the drum, the turning,T oi the drum Will impart a gyratory, liumping and rolling' motion to the oval or spherical body so that the improvement may also be considered in the nature ot a toy or amusement device.

The drawings illustrate a satisfactory embodiment of my improvement, and wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof, With the tape partly Withdrawn from the oval body.

Figure 3 is an approximately central lon- 2ggitudinal sectional viewv on the line 3*?) of Figure L Figure 4 is a sectional view approximately on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view to illustrate the drum or roller shaft disposed longitudinally .in the hollow body.

The body l. et the improvement is in the nature oi? a hollow1 oval member represent inn' an ordinary hens egg and approximatoly of' the same size as such egg. The body is colored White and is constructed oli two sections ivbicl'i have their confronting edges lapping and soldered together. The drum supporting); shaft may be fixed either longitudinally or transversely in the center oi' the body l, as disclosed by the several :Figures of the drawings. rlhe shaft- 2 has its ends soldered or otherwise lixed to the sides or ends at the center of the body. Prefer ably on the lixed shaftQ I secure a sleeve 3. The sleeve and shaft is Yfreely received through the bore'ot a drum Ll. The drum is in the nature of a hollow member and has fixed on its ends discs 5 through which the shaft- 2 passes and against which the ends oit the sleeve 3 contact. Fassinor through the sleeve 3, at the ends thereof, and also it desred through the shaft 1, there are inwardly arched members G, the said members be ing` provided for holding` the coil spring` properly positioned .on the sleeve. rlhe spring?, is indicated by the numeral 7 and has one of its ends passing through the sleeve 8 and secured to the shaft 2. The opposite end of the spring is connected to the drum Il., as clearly shown by Figure Ll the dran# ings. The drum lis centrally formed with an annular enlargement or llange 8 having a peripheral groove, and in this groove there is Wound a measuring` tape 9. Ot course, one end oit the tape is secured to the inner wall provided by the groove in the central flange or enlargement S oi" the drum. The second end ot the tape 9 is trained through a reinforced opening l0 in the oval bodyl. This end of the tape passes through an opening in the pull element l1 for the tape. The pull element is preferably et vulcanized rubber or like material and is shaped to represent a bug, such as an ordinary fly. Ot course, the pull element may be shaped to represent other insects. The pull element is. of course, colored to agree With the natural color of the insect it represents. The end of the tape 9 passes around a bar 12 which is embedded in the pull element 1l and the rolled portion or the tape thus provided is stitched or otherwise secured to the tape proper.

The improvement allords a novel appearance and is in fact ornamental. rlhe annular enlargement or flange 8 of the drum forms the same with what may-be termed a fly Wheel, which, oit course., adds to the momentum et the drum when the same is revolved by the spring 7. The tape is de signed to be drawn out of the body in the usual manner and employed :for ineasuriner purposes. lf the body permitted to rest on a surface and the pull element l1 held by one hand ot the user so that the spring; 7 will Wind the tape in a comparatively slow manner on the drum7 the revolving drum Will impart a gyratory as vvell as a jumping and rolling movement to the body which adds to the novelty and affords amusement to the operator of the device and t-o spectators. The rubber or like substantially elastic pull element will absorb shocks which Would be delivered to the body were an ordinary pull element employed, when such element contacts with the body.

While I have herein set :forth a satisfac-V tory embodiment ot the improvement as it.

now appears to me, obviously I do not wish to be restricted to the precise details of the construction as disclosed and, therefore, it is to be understood that I hold myself entitled to make such changes therefrom as fairly fall Within the scope of what I claim.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. A novelty tape measure `including a hollow oval body shaped to representy an egg7V a shaft arranged centrally in the body and having its ends iixed thereto, a sleeve iixed on the shaft, a hollow drum surrounda ing the sleeve, discsiixed on the ends of the drum and contacting with the ends of the sleeve, a coil spring Wound around the sleeve and having one end secured to the sleeve and to the shaft and its second end secured to `the drum, arched elements passing through the sleeve `and disposed opposite the ends of the spring, a measuring tape Wound around the drum and havingone end secured thereto and its second end guided through the body7 a compressible pull element having a. rod embedded therein, and the last mentioned end of the tape being received in said element and arranged `ing the sleeve, discs fixed on the ends of the drum and contacting with the ends of the sleeve, a coil spring Wound around the sleeve and having one end secured `to `the sleeve and to the shaft and its second end secured to the drum, arched elements passing through the sleeve and disposed opposite the ends of the spring, a measuring ta pe Wound around the drum and having une end secured thereto and its second end guided through the hody, a comprensible pull element having a rod embedded therein, and the last mentioned end ol the rape being received in said element and arranged around and fixed on the rod in said clement, and said pull element representing an insect or the like.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature. 

